Can jack dempseys live with black skirt tetras?

Verdict

No. Jack dempseys and black skirt tetras should not share a tank. An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2.5 inches black skirt tetras do.

Jack Dempsey72–86°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Black skirt tetra70–80°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Deal breakerAn adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2.5 inches black skirt tetras do.
Deal breakerJack dempseys are aggressive and much bigger than black skirt tetras.

What works

Both are fine at 72–80°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.

Water side by side

The green band is the temperature range both can live in.

The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Adult length in an aquarium. A fish can swallow anything that fits in its mouth, roughly a third to half its own length for predators.

Care at a glance

	Jack Dempsey	Black skirt tetra
Temperature	72–86 °F	70–80 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	6–7.5
Adult size	10.0 in	2.5 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	15 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Middle	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 6+
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for jack dempseys

CrayfishYes

All jack dempsey tank mates

Better tank mates for black skirt tetras

All black skirt tetra tank mates

Questions

Can jack dempseys live with black skirt tetras?

No. Jack dempseys and black skirt tetras should not share a tank. An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2.5 inches black skirt tetras do.

What temperature suits both jack dempseys and black skirt tetras?

72–80 °F. Jack dempseys need 72–86 °F, black skirt tetras need 70–80 °F.

What size tank do jack dempseys and black skirt tetras need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the jack dempsey. Add space for each extra fish.